Authorities worldwide have recognized the need to protect occupational workers from the inherent hazards of apparel that is deficient in contrast and visibility when worn by workers exposed to the hazards of low visibility. These hazards are further intensified by the often complex backgrounds found in many occupations such as traffic control, construction, equipment operation, and roadway maintenance. Of major concern is ensuring that these workers are recognized by motor vehicle drivers in sufficient time for the drivers to slow-down or take other preventive action to avoid hazard or injury to the workers. Thus, worker safety is jeopardized when clothing not designed to provide visual identification is worn by persons working in such dangerous environments. While there are no federal regulations governing the design, performance, or use of high-visibility apparel, local jurisdictions and private entities have undertaken to equip their employees with highly luminescent vests. One national standards organization, known as the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), in conjunction with the Safety Equipment Association (ISEA), has developed a standard and guidelines for high-visibility luminescent safety apparel based on classes of apparel.
Similarly, and in related fashion, certain of the above-mentioned occupations also require safety apparel that is flame resistant. For example, electric utility workers who may be exposed to flammable situations require apparel that is flame resistant. In the United States, there is a nationally-recognized standard providing a performance specification for flame resistant textile materials for safety apparel, referred to as the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), standard F 1506. This standard provides performance properties for textile materials used in apparel that represent minimum requirements for worker protection. One component of this standard is the vertical flame test which measures whether an apparel will melt or drip when subjected to a flame, or continue to bum after the flame is removed.
In recent years, utilities have become more diverse. Notably, electric utilities, for example, have diversified into the delivery of natural gas services. Thus, the same utility employees who provide electricity delivery services also service the natural gas network and facilities. This means that these employees not only require high visibility, and flame-resistant, but also require apparel that has anti-static properties suitable for wear in ignitable atmospheres.
Until recently, various items of safety apparel were produced to meet one or the other of these nationally-recognized standards, and products are now known that are capable of meeting all of the standards for flame-resistance and high-visibility; however, there are not known any fabrics that, in addition to meeting these requirements, are also anti-static.